Drug and Alcohol Awareness Policy

Prince George’s Community College

Drug Free Policy and Prevention Statement

It is
the policy of the PGCC Board of Trustees to comply with the Drug-Free Workplace
Act of 1988 and to provide for its employees and students a workplace which is
drug-free. The president is authorized to make, promulgate, issue, rescind and
amend reasonable rules, regulations and procedures to carry out this policy and
to assure compliance with the Drug-Free Act of 1988.In addition, the college
expects all members of the college community to comply with all federal, state,
and local laws pertaining to the possession, use, manufacture, distribution, or
dispensing of alcohol and drugs. A more detailed overview of the college’s
Drug-Free Policy and Prevention Statement can be found on the college’s website
at www.pgcc.edu, Higher Education Act (HEA)
Disclosures.

Drug-Free
Workplace Program Rule

The
purpose of this Rule is to implement the Drug-Free Workplace Policy and to
comply with the requirements of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988. The following
definitions shall apply: "Controlled substance" means a controlled
substance in schedules I through V of Section 202 of the Controlled Substances
Act (21 U.S.C. 812), and as further defined by regulation at 21 CFR 1300.11
through 1300.15. "Conviction" means a finding of guilt (including a
plea of nolo contendere) or imposition of sentence, or both, by any judicial body
charged with the responsibility to determine violations of the Federal or State
criminal drug statutes.

"Criminal
drug statute" means a Federal or non-Federal criminal statute involving
the manufacture, distribution, dispensing, use or possession of any controlled substance.
"Drug-Free workplace" means a site for the performance of work at
which College employees are prohibited from engaging in the unlawful
manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of a controlled
substance. All Board-owned or controlled
premises, and any premises not owned or controlled by the Board which are used
by members of the College community in the functions of the College, are
declared Drug-Free Workplace.

Standard
of conduct

In
addition, the college expects all members of the college community to comply
with all federal, state, and local laws pertaining to the possession, use,
manufacture, distribution, or dispensing of alcohol and drugs. For more
information, contact the college’s Health Education Center located in Bladen Hall,
Room 132, or call 301-546-0845.

Sanctions

Violations
of the Drug-Free Policy and the Workplace Program Rule will result in discharge,
expulsion, or other appropriate action pursuant to the College's personnel
action policy; and that As a condition of employment, each employee of the
College agrees that he or she will abide by the terms of the above statement
and, will notify the Dean of Human Resources of any criminal drug statute
conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five days
after such conviction. The College will take one of the following actions
within 30 days of receiving notice of a criminal drug statute conviction for a
violation in the workplace with respect to any employee so convicted: Take
appropriate personnel action against such an employee, up to and including
discharge; or require such employee to participate satisfactorily in a drug
abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved for such purposes by a
Federal, State, or local health, law enforcement, or other appropriate agency.
Students who violate college policy will be subject to guidelines outlined in
the Student Code of Conduct as outlined in Section B, Standard of Student
Conduct, and Section D, Student Discipline.

Drug
and Alcohol Prevention Program

The
college’s Drug and Alcohol Abuse Program is part of a nationwide effort to
prevent the illegal use of drugs and alcohol and to keep drugs off campuses and
out of schools, neighborhoods, and the workplace. The college prohibits the
unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of illicit
drugs and alcohol by students, employees, and visitors in functions of the
college, or as part of any college activity.For more information, contact the
college’s Health Education Center located in Bladen Hall, Room 132, or call
301-546-0845.

Drug and Alcohol
Counseling Information

Attached
is an extensive list of treatment centers from the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The list has been sorted by
location.

Seafarers

Addiction
Rehabilitation Center

45705 Locust Grove
Drive

Valley Lee, MD 20692

301-994-0010x5330

Open Arms, Inc

2590 Business Park
Court

Waldolf, MD 20601

301-645-5538

Alcohol and Drug
Recovery (ADR)

3475 Leonardtown
Road

Suite 102

Waldolf, MD 20601

(410) 268-6800

Counseling
Professionals Inc.

3555 Leonardtown
Road

Waldolf, MD 20602

(301) 374-2013

PGCC
Employee Assistance Program

Magellan
Health.Com

1-800-523-5668

Description
of Health Risk of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

The
Effects of Drugs and Alcohol on Academic Life

Sources: http://www.fit.edu/caps/documents/effects%20of%20drugs.pdf

Drug and alcohol use
on college campuses is universal. Students articulate many reasons why they do
it, but most neglect to consider both the long-term and [short-term]
consequences of their actions. How wide-spread is drug and alcohol abuse?
Teenagers today admit to extensive experimentation. According to one study, 90
percent of teens said that they have used alcohol, over 50 percent have used
marijuana, 17 percent have used cocaine and 13 percent have used some form of
hallucinogenic drug. Drug use has been classified as a major problem of
students as early as in the fourth grade. Consequently, it is no surprise that
substance use is prolific on college campuses, where many young adults are free
from adult supervision for the first time in their lives.

Alcohol use accounts
for over 100,000 deaths per year in [the United States]. It contributes to over
50 percent of all suicides, violent crimes, emergency room admissions, traffic
accidents, substandard job performances and industrial accidents, and 80
percent of all domestic violence incidents. You may falsely believe that you are
“safe” because you live in the small community of [Largo, MD] and that these
issues don’t really affect you. To be more specific, how can drug and alcohol
abuse affect a healthy young college student like you? The statistics are
staggering:

• Drug and alcohol abuse is
the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 24

• 95% of all college campus
violence is related to alcohol

• 28% of all college
dropouts are alcoholics and 40% of all college students having academic
problems abuse alcohol

• Over 60% of all college
women who have contracted [sexually transmitted diseases] were intoxicated at
the time that they were infected

So why do college students continue to drink and use drugs?

Some feel pressured to use drugs or alcohol at social gatherings
either because everyone else seems to be doing it, or because they believe it’s
the cool thing to do. Others believe that drug or alcohol abuse offers a way to
escape from school or work-related stress, financial worries or relationship
problems. Some feel that alcohol or drugs provide a way to compensate for
feelings of shyness or low self-esteem. Sometimes, these drugs act as a
substitute for satisfying relationships, educational accomplishments or
self-fulfillment.

College students often forget why they are supposed to be in
school. Is the purpose of university life to party all the time or to get the
most out of the learning environment? Substance abuse can seriously affect
academic performance. Aside from long-term addiction (or possible emptying your
bank account) it can cause grades to plummet. How? Substance use affects your
entire body, including your brain, in a variety of ways. Judgment is often the
first attribute to be affected. You may find it difficult to make good
decisions, to make them quickly or to be realistic when you make them.
Suddenly, it becomes much easier to wait until the last minute to cram for that
exam or to crankout that paper. You may also find yourself having difficulty
concentrating and paying attention, especially when you are in class or trying
to study. Nutritional deficits can result from extended or heavy substance use,
and these deficiencies can affect your attention, concentration and ability to
get along with others, as well as lead to memory loss and difficulty coping
with everyday stressors.

Even if you think that these long-term effects of substance abuse
don’t apply to you, think about how much study time you have lost because you
were out partying all night and were too hung-over the next day to go to class
or to work on your lab report. Are you worried that substance abuse may be
affecting you, your grades or your relationship? Have you noticed that your
grades are dropping? Are classes that used to be enjoyable now very difficult
or tedious? Does it seem that you never have enough time to study or get your
assignments done, yet you are always at every party? You may want to consider
how substance abuse could be affecting your academic performance. While
substance abuse is a serious problem that can affect your academic, personal
and professional life very seriously, it is also a treatable problem. Many
sources are available to provide you with the help you or a friend may need.
Counseling and Psychological Services, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics
Anonymous, your local spiritual leader or your family doctor can all provide
you with the information needed to obtain the services that are best suited to
your needs.

Definition of
Drug Abuse, Drugs types, and Health Risks

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/drug_abuse/article.htm

What
is drug abuse?

Drug abuse, also called substance
abuse or chemical abuse, is a disorder that is characterized by a destructive
pattern of using a substance that leads to significant problems or distress. It
affects more than 7% of people at some point in their lives. Teens are
increasingly engaging in prescription drug abuse, particularly narcotics (which
are prescribed to relieve severe pain), and stimulant medications, which treat
conditions like attention deficit disorder.

What
is drug addiction?

Drug addiction, also called
substance dependence or chemical dependency, is a disease that is characterized
by a destructive pattern of drug abuse that leads to significant problems
involving tolerance to or withdrawal from the substance, as well as other
problems that use of the substance can cause for the sufferer, either socially
or in terms of their work or school performance. More than 2.6% of people
suffer from drug addiction at some time in their life.

What types of drugs are commonly abused?

Virtually any substance whose
ingestion can result in a euphoric ("high") feeling can be abused.
While many are aware of the abuse of legal substances like alcohol or illegal
drugs like marijuana
(in most states) and cocaine, less
well known is the fact that inhalants like household cleaners are some of the most
commonly abused substances. The following are many of the drugs and types of
drugs that are commonly abused and/or result in dependence:

Alcohol:
Although legal, alcohol
is a toxic substance, particularly to a developing fetus when a mother
consumes this drug during pregnancy.

Amphetamines:
This group of drugs comes in many forms, from prescription medications
like methylphenidate
(Ritalin, Concerta) and dextroamphetamine and amphetamine (Adderall) to illegally manufactured drugs like
methamphetamine ("meth"). Overdose of any of these substances
can result in seizure
and death.

Anabolic steroids:
A group of substances abused by bodybuilders and other athletes, this
group of drugs can lead to terrible psychological effects like aggression
and paranoia,
as well as devastating long-term physical effects like infertility
and organ failure.

Cannabis:
More commonly called marijuana, the scientific name for cannabis is
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In addition to the negative effects the drug
itself can produce (for example, infertility,
paranoia, lack of motivation), the fact that it is commonly mixed
("cut") with other substances so drug dealers can make more
money selling the diluted substance or expose the user to more addictive
drugs exposes the marijuana user to the dangers associated with those
added substances. Examples of ingredients that marijuana is commonly cut
with include baby powder, oregano, embalming fluid, PCP, opiates, and
cocaine.

Cocaine:
A drug that tends to stimulate the nervous system, cocaine can be snorted
in powder form, smoked when in the form of rocks (crack
cocaine), or injected when made into a liquid.

Ecstasy:
Also called MDMA
to denote its chemical composition (methylenedioxymethamphetamine), this
drug tends to create a sense of euphoria and an expansive love or desire
to nurture others. In overdose, it can increase body temperature to the
point of being fatal.

Hallucinogens:
Examples include LSD and
mescaline, as well as so-called naturally occurring hallucinogens like
certain mushrooms, these drugs can be dangerous in their ability to alter
the perceptions of the user. For example, a person who is intoxicated with
a hallucinogen may perceive danger where there is none and to think that
situations that are truly dangerous are not. Those misperceptions can
result in dangerous behaviors (like jumping out of a window because the
individual thinks they are riding on an elephant that can fly).

Inhalants:
One of the most commonly abused group of substances due to its
accessibility, inhalants are usually contained in household cleaners, like
ammonia, bleach, and other substances that emit fumes. Brain damage, even
to the point of death, can result from using an inhalant just once or over
the course of time, depending on the individual.

Nicotine:
The addictive substance found in cigarettes,
nicotine is actually one of the most habit-forming substances that exist.
In fact, nicotine addiction is often compared to the intense addictiveness
associated with opiates like heroin.

Opiates:
This group is also called narcotics and includes drugs like heroine, codeine,
Vicodin, Percocet, and Percodan. This group of substances sharply
decreases the functioning of the nervous system. The lethality of opiates
is often the result of the abuser having to use increasingly higher
amounts to achieve the same level of intoxication, ultimately to the point
that the dose needed to get high is the same as the dose that is lethal
for that individual by halting the person's
breathing (respiratory arrest).

Phencyclidine:
Commonly referred to as PCP,
this drug can cause the user to feel extremely paranoid, become quite
aggressive and to have an unusual amount of physical strength. This can
make the individual quite dangerous to others.

Sedative, hypnotic, or anti-anxiety drugs: As these substances quell or depress the nervous
system, they can cause death by respiratory arrest of the person who
either uses these drugs in overdose or who mixes one or more of these
drugs with another nervous system depressant drug (like alcohol or an
opiate).

Drug
and Alcohol Policy: Administrative Responsibility

The Dean
for Human Resources and the Dean of Enrollment Services will collaboratively
work to inform college employees and students of the college’s policy on drug
and alcohol abuse and the effects of abuse by providing:

Annually notifying each employee and student, in
writing, of standards of conduct; a description of appropriate sanctions for
violation of federal, state, and local law and campus policy; and a description
of available treatment programs.

Developing a sound method for distributing annual
notification information to every student and staff member each year.

Conducting a biennial review on the effectiveness of
its alcohol and other drugs programs and the consistency of sanction enforcement.

Maintaining its biennial review material on file so
that if requested to do so by the U.S. Department of Education, the college can
demonstrate compliance disclosure information.